Chris Purdue

My name is Chris Purdue, and I would like to introduce myself as your AlphaNet Coordinator.

My wonderful wife, Jodie, daughter Makayla, and I live in Terre Haute, Indiana. We also have three adult sons, and a most beautiful granddaughter named Aleah.  Jodie and I enjoy outside activities in the yard and garden, dinner dates, plays, concerts, and trying our best to maintain healthy lifestyles and diets.  After serving five years in the US Army, I was able to finish my Criminology degree at Indiana State University, followed by a few years at the US Post Office, and then 21 years with Federal Bureau of Prisons.

My VA doctor diagnosed me with Alpha-1 at the age of 38 after seeing I had developed COPD earlier than normal from a chest X-ray taken at an annual visit. He investigated further and was able to narrow it down to Alpha-1 quickly, which I am very thankful for the early diagnosis. My brother tested at the time and found out he was also an Alpha.

Soon after, I located a great Alpha-1 doctor less than three hours away who is still my doctor today twenty years later. He connected me with AlphaNet and made all the arrangements to get my augmentation therapy started.  Since then, AlphaNet, the Alpha-1 Foundation, and my AlphaNet Coordinators have been an immense help and resource for me.

When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t know what to think. I had always been physically active and durable.  Since then I have learned although there are mostly negative attributes surrounding this condition, God has used it in my life to find purpose for myself then, and now to allow me to use it to serve others as an AlphaNet Coordinator.